Polish prison director Lt. Col. Andrzej G. killed inmate Józef F. in 2011 during parliamentary elections, then drank tea while claiming voices told him to do it.
The Incident
On Sunday, October 9, 2011, parliamentary elections were held throughout Poland. Approximately 600 of nearly 1,000 eligible prisoners at the Prison in Sztum participated in the voting. Around 10 a.m., Director Lt. Col. Andrzej G. requested to speak with inmates, first visiting cell 53 and then cell 46 where Józef F. was serving his sentence.
Józef F., a 66-year-old with multiple convictions, had written complaints about the director and was known as a difficult prisoner. When the director spoke with him privately, a fellow inmate heard screaming and found F. bleeding from his neck with a large kitchen knife nearby.
The Aftermath
After the murder, Andrzej G. entered the Command Point and instructed an officer to write in a fax that “the director killed the convicted person.” He claimed voices had told him to do it. Despite appearing emotionally detached, he accepted tea and began discussing green tea preparation.
During questioning, G. admitted hearing terrifying voices for a decade but didn’t specify if they commanded this murder. He declared he would be a “fantastic prisoner” in jail, playing jazz music and working in the library. He also asked that no consequences befall the officer who opened the cell.
The Investigation
Andrzej G. was arrested about an hour after the murder, sober but refusing to explain his actions. Józef F. died from massive bleeding after multiple stab wounds. Prison officials noted the psychological strain of working in such environments and the constant threats officers face.
In G.’s apartment, a note was found saying “I’m sorry. The voices in my head make me do this. I cannot harm you.” His secretary testified he had become increasingly withdrawn in the month before the incident.
The Verdict
Psychiatrists determined G. suffered from severe, untreated depression with psychotic symptoms. In January 2012, he was sent for psychiatric observation, with experts ruling he couldn’t recognize his actions’ significance at the time of the murder.
On June 29, 2012, prosecutors discontinued the investigation citing Article 31 of the Polish Penal Code regarding mental illness. G. was not imprisoned but retired. The Prison Service subsequently implemented mandatory stress prevention workshops for officers.
